Once upon a time, the times that I have been the most broke, I did a few things very consistently. And the funny thing is, when I started looking at the list of those things, they all started with “W.” Imagine that. With that said, here are the seven W’s of being and staying broke.

Why me? The poor me mentality is an infectious disease and will get worse. Once you take on this frame of mind, you’ll start to attract those with similar beliefs, and before you know it, you’ll be sharing stories about how pathetic your life is. You’ll even start to blame others for putting you in the situation you’re in, but when it all comes down to it, you put yourself there. Success starts right between our own ears, and if that area isn’t working right, the rest will follow.

Wondering what life could have been like if……(you fill in the blank). So many people get caught up in the past and forget to live in the now. Just like Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite, “If I could just go back in time…..I’d take state!” It’s over, you had your chance to succeed then, just like you will today, and tomorrow and the next day. And unless you snap out of it, you’re bound to experience the exact same result.

Wandering around without any sort of ambition, without definite financial goals. As I said in my last post, “A man without a goal is like a ship without a rudder.” Set short, medium and long term financial goals for yourself. In your heart, what do you believe is a realistic income goal for the next six months of your life? Set it, right it down, set a plan of action in place and then go get it!

Waiting for something to happen for you, or to you, instead of taking things into your own hands. In the movie of life, there’s only one role you should play, and that’s the star.

Wanting is a dangerous thing. When we are always wanting something, we get more wanting. I want this and I want that, but we never take action to get it, because it can’t be quenched. Wanting is what comes before someone gets sick and tired of not having. Not having is what comes before accepting the fact that you are stuck, and unless you stop wanting and start acting, you’ll never get what you want.

Wishing is not necessarily a bad thing. We all do it. My wife and I encourage our children to make a wish before they blow out the candles of a birthday cake, make a wish upon a star and even make a wish will driving through a tunnel. It encourages dreaming, what I like to call, visualizing. However, when you start wishing you could win the lottery, you’re barking up the wrong tree. For 99.9% of the world’s population, luck has nothing to do with creating a solid financial future.

Working the absolutely wrong way. To make more money, working harder is seldom the answer. Working differently, now there’s an idea. Using your brain instead of your muscles will always change your income, for the better and for the worse. But hey, at least it’s a change, and that’s what you need in order to change your cash flow.

It’s always been said that your income will be the average of those you hang out with the most. And it’s true. We tend to stick around those who are in our same circumstance, with the exception of our close family members. Do your best to associate with those who’s financial know-how and bank accounts are above yours. Things will rub off on you.

Conclusion

There you have it. The seven W’s of being and staying broke. One of the biggest, baddest, most obvious yet hardest to change parts of being broke are our habits. We have gotten used to a routine, and we continue with this so called “broke” routine only because we’re used to it. Become extremely uncomfortable with being broke. Get out of the habit of being broke, and start a habit of being a money magnet.

I’m sure there are a few W’s that you’ve thought of which relate to your specific experiences, and I’d love to hear about them.